Taylor Due To Announce Fate Of Officer Leesburg Jumped The Gun In Firing Him, Officers Say

November 20, 1986|By Stephen Kindland of The Sentinel Staff

LEESBURG — City Manager Rex Taylor's decision on whether to reinstate fired black police Officer Trini Thomas and give him back pay is expected today, but the effects of the 4-month-old issue may linger.

City Commissioner David Connelly, who last week charged Taylor with using ''delaying tactics'' that have ''racial overtones,'' said Wednesday the issue has lessened his opinion of how the city operates.

''It has also caused me to have a lot of doubt about the city's ability to handle issues of any major concern,'' said Connelly, Leesburg's first black city commissioner and an outspoken defender of Thomas. ''I have a great sense of distrust in our current city administration.''

He also said the Thomas issue has caused feelings of animosity within the black community and a split among city commissioners.

Taylor has stood firm twice on his decision to fire Thomas and later buckled to pressure from four commissioners -- all except Mayor Joe Knowles -- to reinstate Thomas without pay.

Taylor said Wednesday the review he has spent several weeks conducting should be completed by Monday.

Other sources said Taylor would render his decision today.

''I can flat assure you I haven't been stalling,'' Taylor said in response to Connelly's accusations.

He said Thomas has canceled two appointments to discuss the issue with city officials, and that it took Thomas' attorney, Harry Lamb, a week to call to schedule a meeting for the following week.

Obtaining tapes of depositions also took longer than expected, Taylor added.

He said he doesn't want to leave any room for doubt about whether Thomas should be reinstated -- with or without back pay. He declined comment on Connelly's charges of the issue becoming racial.

Thomas, 20, was fired after his July 31 arrest on two first-degree misdemeanor charges of battery and improper display of a firearm stemming from a domestic dipute with an Okahumpka woman. He was a probationary employee at the time.

Since his dismissal, attorneys and other representatives of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People have joined the fight to reinstate Thomas.

City officials decided to wait until a court verdict was reached before making a decision, but state prosecutors dropped the charges after claiming they couldn't find the woman involved.

Leesburg Police Chief Jim Brown, who has remained silent since vowing to conduct an in-house investigation if Thomas is reinstated, said he is disappointed in Connelly's charges of racism.

''I will endorse whatever decision he Taylor makes,'' Brown said, adding that he has changed his mind about an interdepartmental investigation. ''Rex is a very analytical manager.''

Brown said it would be inappropriate for him to comment on whether the issue has caused morale problems within his department.

However, some police officers have said they think the city made a tactical error and jumped the gun by firing Thomas immediately after his arrest.

They said Thomas should have been suspended, and that a decision should have been withheld until a court verdict was reached.

The officers said the issue has not caused morale problems, but that the city has left itself open to legal action.